You Almost Died
by livvyham
Summary: Set after 2x04. Stiles is still in shock after everything that had happened in the pool. Enter Derek to see vulnerable Stiles. Warning for language. Pre- Sterek


Stiles sat on his bed, head in his hands as he relived the past few hours. He was sitting in his boxers, just out of the shower, but the smell of chlorine was still faint on his skin, as if he would be forever reminded of the terror. He could have run, he could have saved his own life, but he chose Derek. He chose to save the alpha wolf who was acting more like a pain in his ass than anything else. He had been terrified, scared for both their lives. How the hell had he managed to hold up the both of them for _two hours? _

A thump caused him to look up and see a figure having jumped into his room via the window. Bright red eyes looked at him and Stiles sighed out. He was exhausted and now he had to deal with Derek being all pissy about him not running when Derek asked or maybe him being dropped while Stiles tried to get unreliable Scott to help out. He had hoped that he could just go to bed and not deal with all this shit until tomorrow, or hopefully never. Ignoring the alpha in his room, he plopped his head right back in his hands, choosing to be childish and ignore him.

"Stiles." Derek's voice was quiet, but firm. Stiles heard a few footsteps and then the bed dipped next to him, yet he still chose to ignore him. These past few days had been hell, from his jeep and the lizard thing to now. Why did these things happen to him?

"I can't deal with everything right now, Derek. I'm exhausted from swimming for two straight hours while at the same time being fucking scared for my life. My life flashed before my eyes about a million times, especially when we narrowly avoided death by some unseen power. I just can't deal with any of it. I know I pretend I'm all dandy, but you need to give me a while to process everything." His voice was soft but forceful, his exhaustion creeping through. He just needed some time to figure everything out and then he'd be back to the same old Stiles everyone knew and ignored.

"You're scared." Stiles rolled his eyes.

"Thank you captain obvious. That thing seems to know me, so I'm assuming it knows where I live and that means me and my dad aren't safe. What if it comes here to finish me off? Or what if it attacks my dad? How am I supposed to deal with that? I'm not a wolf so I don't have any crazy powers to help protect my family. I'm just Stiles." The last part was said with resignation. Simple Stiles, loud-mouth extraordinaire and magnet for supernatural problems.

"Do you want the bite? Is that what you want?" Derek questioned and Stiles shook his head with a sigh. That wasn't what he was trying to get at, although he could see that Derek would take it like that.

"What is it with your family wanting me to be a werewolf?" Stiles mumbled under his breath, but that seemed like a really bad idea after the long and dangerous growl that escaped from the werewolf.

"Peter asked you?" Derek's voice was barely understandable underneath the animalistic growl that perpetuated from his chest, but Stiles wasn't in the mood to muck around. He just wanted Derek to get out so he could sleep and get himself together. How long until Stiles broke down? Hopefully it would hold off until everything was under control and he wouldn't be needed.

"Yeah he did but I told him no. So don't get all annoyed. He's dead, I'm not a wolf, whatever." Stiles ran one hand over his buzzed hair feeling slightly on edge. Usually there was a hint of fear in him whenever Derek was near him, but after seeing him so helpless, things were different. Maybe Stiles was just tired.

"Stiles." Derek's voice was softer, more imploring of Stiles than any other tone. Stiles' head bolted upwards and he just looked at Derek, seeing the compassion, worry and gratefulness in the wolf's face. It made something snap inside of Stiles.

"You could have died tonight! The thing paralysed you, almost ripped you to shreds! I tread water for two hours with you, trying to keep you alive! Trying to keep us alive! We both almost died!" Stiles' eyes were wide as he stared at the wolf, hands holding Derek's face. Tears welled up in his eyes, the shock of everything wearing off and the emotions just smashing into him. "You almost died."

Derek seemed a bit uncertain of the hands that cupping his face, but his own hands gently rubbed against the hands, a comforting gesture.

"I'm ok. _You're _okay." Derek closed his eyes, seeming to struggle with something inside him. Stiles knew that he should be embarrassed by the tears streaming down his face, but fuck it. He's been through so much shit and he'd never really had a chance to sit down and just think about it. The closest he had was the gap between Peter's death and the arrival of Gerard. Even then that wasn't long enough. Scott still got into trouble and Stiles came to rescue. Now he'd rescued Derek and he just couldn't cope with it all.

"You almost died." Stiles whispered, knowing he was repeating himself but unable to get anything else out. His body started shaking as he sobbed, eyes scrunched closed and hands letting go of Derek's face. Derek didn't hesitate, instead pulling the sobbing mess to his chest and just holding Stiles, letting him just break down on him. Stiles gripped onto Derek's shirt, head buried in his shoulder as he clutched for life. Derek rubbed his back soothingly, keeping Stiles close and humming softly, his chest rumbling slightly.

"What do you need?" Derek's voice was soft and Stiles almost didn't hear it, but he pulled away and looked up. He knew he probably looked like the ugliest kid in the world, eyes puffy and red, nose a little bit runny. Teenage boys weren't supposed to cry, and yet here he was. And he didn't even care.

"Just stay. Just stay so I know that you're ok." The words were out before he could even think about it. Yet he didn't want to take them back. That was what he needed. He needed to just be positive that for a while, people were safe.

"I can do that." Stiles wasn't even sure that he had heard Derek properly, but before he knew it, he was on his side, lying on the bed with Derek still holding him close. Stiles felt himself calm down, felt the tears dry up and his body relax. It wasn't awkward, not for him at least and although Derek was a bit stiff in the beginning, he relaxed and Stiles felt himself falling asleep. Stiles' head was on Derek's chest, fingers still gripped in Derek's shirt, with Derek's arm slung around his back, holding him close and sharing the body heat.

"Don't go." Stiles whispered, sleepily. His eyes were closed and his breathing was even, slowing down as his mind shut down. He wasn't even sure if Derek was still awake, but he needed to voice what he wanted. He didn't want to be alone tonight, not after everything that had happened. Two hours swimming to save a person had made a bond, no matter how weird and uncertain it seemed to be, but Stiles clung to it. He was so exhausted, body drifting off, that he wasn't even sure if Derek really did whisper anything in reply.

"I'm here."

**A/N - Hey guys, just watched the new episode of Teen Wolf and couldn't help but give this little bit out because it was stuck in my brain. Seriously loved the episode, especially the pool scene. I wanted something a bit fluffy and this just jumped out at me. Did anyone else notice how sad Stiles seemed throughout the whole episode? He was even a bit snappy at his dad. I figured everything was kind of piling onto him and it really isn't fair on Stiles. He has to deal with stupid Scott (although he has been a bit better this season) and Derek is all crazy superior alpha. Plus the new werewolves he has to deal with. Anyways, hope you enjoy it! This isn't related to my other story at all but how about you all go check out that story and give me a review, aye? ;) **


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